Mobile storage cabinets



Oct. 5, 1965 P. FREDERICK MOBILE STORAGE CABINETS Filed July 5, 1963 FIG. f

BY ELM man BM United States Patent 3,210,143 MOBILE STORAGE CABINETS Philip Frederick, Beechhurst, N.Y., assignor to Supreme Steel Equipment Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 5, 1963, Ser. No. 292,871 3 Claims. (Cl. 312281) The present invention is directed to cabinets, particularly those used in ofiices for filing correspondence and similar folders and those used in stores, warehouses and the like, for the storage of goods, and also in libraries for containing books with adequate accessibility thereto.

In the prior art there had been devised a cabinet structure in which there was a plurality of rows of cabinets of substantial height fixed on the floor. In the front thereof a similar series of cabinets but lesser in number, were mounted on the pair of rails on the floor, parallel to the fixed row of cabinets, whereby the front row could be shifted from side to side to alternately expose various of the fixed cabinets for purpose of access. Such structures had a very substantial use but certain disadvantages were inherent therein. Because of the size and weight of the movable cabinets when loaded, it was necessary to provide dollies carrying the same, said dollies being mounted on the tracks. This introduced an element of expense, and friction involved in the movement of the dolly and cabinets rendered it difficult to slide such cabinets into desired positions. Some such movable cabinets were motorized, but this involved additional equipment and expense, which should not be incurred.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome the difficulties and disadvantages inherent in cabinets for mobile storage, it being among the objects of the invention to provide a compact, simple structure having a relatively large capacity.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a structure of the type described in which access to the fixed or rear cabinets is simple, and the movement of the front cabinets is simple, not requiring any great effort.

In practicing the invention, there is provided a frame or cabinet in the rear of which are fixed a suitable number of rows of compartments, such rows being in alinement laterally and vertically. Means are provided in the compartments for the storage of various items. Such means may be the ordinary file drawers or may be a special type such as is described in applicants Patent No. 3,095,250, issued June 25, 1963, and entilted Roller Drawer Suspension Device.

Vertical posts are provided between some or all of the rear compartments serving as means for retaining horizontal tracks. Such tracks are secured to the posts at points between the vertical rows of compartments. There is also provided a series of individual cradles in front of the fixed rear cradles and hung on said tracks. The number of laterally movable cradles is less than the number of fixed compartments in each of the horizontal rows of compartments. Means are provided whereby said front cradles may be readily mounted on the tracks, and further means are provided for stabilizing the front cradles against accidental displacement.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a structure embodying the present invention, some parts being shown broken away for clearness;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, and

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view greatly enlarged, and taken along line 33 of FIG. 2 and showing the details of the mounting of the cradles.

The cabinet consists of a frame having a top 1, bottom 2 and sides 3. The sides extend to point 4 at the front .of the frame, said front being generally open, but which may be closed by doors or other means.

A rear set of compartments 5 in horizontal alinement and also in vertical alinement, are fixed within the frame or cabinet by any suitable means. The compartments may have slidable drawers or rear cradles 6 having handles 7, or they may preferably be the type disclosed and claimed in the aforesaid patent of applicant.

Between adjacent compartments are vertical posts 8 extending from the rear 1 of the cabinet to a point 9 at the front of said rear row and adapted to have secured thereto a horizontal rail 10. Mobile individual cradles 11 are mounted on track 10 as set forth below. Referring to FIG. 3, track 10 has a vertical leg 13 which is secured to post 8 by screws 12 or other suitable means. The rail also has a horizontal portion 14 with an upward retaining bend 15.

Each cradle 11 has a vertical back 16 and a horizontal bottom 16'. At the upper edge of back 16, there is rear- Ward angular portion 17. Mounted thereon are a pair of spaced rollers 18 and 18'. The rollers fit into thebend portion 15 and are readily retained therein against accidental displacement.

Below the upper row of cradles and between it and the next lower row, is a track 19 which is secured to post 8 by screw 20 or the like. Said track is identical with track 10, having a horizontal portion 21 and an upward bend 22. Extending downward from the lower rear corner of cradle 11 is an inclined member 23 carrying rollers 24 and 24, which contact the vertical leg of track 19. In order to mount cradle 11 on the tracks, it is tilted until rollers 18 and 18 contact bend 15. Then the cradle is allowed to move under gravity until rollers 24 and 24' contact the vertical leg 19 of the track. Thereby the cradle is stabilized and is readily movable laterally, with a minimum of effort.

There are a number of advantages inherent in the present invention as the structure is sturdy, yet is simple and compact, giving easy accessibility to all of the several cradles both front and back. To slide the cradles requires a little effort in view of the fact that a single cradle may be moved and the mounting facilitates the movement. The rollers reduce friction and wear. The cradles are readily removable, yet cannot be displaced by accident. The cradles themselves may constitute the storage elements but various types of structures for holding the items may be incorporated therein.

Although the invention has been described setting forth a single embodiment of the invention, various changes in the details of construction may be made within the spirit of the invention. For instance, the cradles may be replaced by other types of structures to accomplish the same results. The tracks need not be of the exact conformation shown in FIG. 3 but may be modified while still retaining the advantages thereof. These and other changes in the details may be made without departing from the principles of the invention, which is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A storage cabinet comprising a substantially vertical frame having sides, a rear portion and an open front portion, a plurality of rows of shelves in vertical and horizontal alignment, said shelves being in the same vertical plane, a plurality of rows of front cradles in vertical and horizontal alignment and capable of individual lateral movement in register with said shelves, there being a lesser number of front cradles in each row than corresponding shelves, horizontal tracks along the front of said frame between the horizontal rows of shelves, rollers at top and bottom rear of said front cradles, said rollers fitted into an adjacent pair of said tracks for lateral movement of said front cradles.

2. A storage cabinet according to claim 1 wherein there are drawers in said shelves slidable forwardly and rearwardly.

3. A storage cabinet comprising a substantially vertical frame having sides, a rear portion and an open front portion, a plurality of rows of rear cradles in vertical and horizontal alignment, said rear cradles being in the same vertical plane, drawers in said rear cradles slidable forwardly, a plurality of rows of front cradles in vertical and horizontal alignment and capable of individual lateral movement in register with said rear cradles, there being a lesser number of front cradles in each row than corresponding rear cradles, horizontal tracks along the front of said frame between the horizontal rows of rear cradles,

rollers at top and bottom rear of said front cradles, said rollers fitted into an adjacent pair of said tracks for lat eral movement of said front cradles, each of said tracks being L-shaped having a substantial vertical leg and a substantially horizontal leg, the top rollers fitting 0am said horizontal leg, and the bottom rollers fitting onto said vertical leg.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

2O CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

1. A STORAGE CABINET COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL FRAME HAVING SIDES, A REAR PORTION AND AN OPEN FRONT PORTION, A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF SHELVES IN VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT, SAI SHELVES BEING IN THE SAME VERTIAL AND HORIA PLURALITY OF ROWS OF FRONT CRADLES IN VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT AND CAPABLE OF INDIVIDUAL LATERAL MOVEMENT IN REGISTER WITH SAID SHELVES, THERE BEING A LESSER NUMBER OF FRONT CRADLES IN EACH ROW THAN CORRESPONDING SHELVES, HORIZONTAL TRACKS ALONG THE FRONT OF SAID FRAME BETWEEN THE HORIZONTAL ROWS OF SHELVES, ROLLERS AT TOP AND BOTTOM REAR OF SAID FRONT CRADLES, SAID ROLLERS FITTED INTO AN ADJACENT PAIR OF SAID TRACKS FOR LATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID FRONT CRADLES. 